Program Framework
The LGSPA capacity development effort revolves mainly around two major outcome areas of excellence in local governance and the enabling environment for good governance, peace and development.
Excellence in local governance has been characterized as more efficient and effective LGU leadership and management; enhanced access to and improved quality of services especially for the poor and disadvantaged groups; more equitable, efficient, effective, transparent and sustainable generation, allocation and utilization of resources; more effective and equitable participation by individuals, private sector and civil society organizations in local governance; and more effective peace building and conflict resolution and improved peace, order and community harmony.
At the regional level, the program builds a supportive enabling mechanism encompassing legal and regulatory frameworks, institutions, resources, and cultural appropriateness and sensitivity. LGSPA will help improve intergovernmental relationships between regional and local levels and between regional and national levels of government; and will strengthen relationships among LGUs. LGSPA will also work with peace networks in support of local and regional initiatives to build and maintain peace in ARMM.
The program promotes good local governance that is culturally relevant to the ARMM, and is rooted in the ethnic, religious, customary, political, economic, and historical realities of the region.
LGSPA adopts a capacity development process that provides support at all levels of the local governance system whereby the ARG, LGUs, CSOs and other partners enhance their ability to perform their functions, fulfill their mandate and achieve their goals. This systematic process involves consensus building, capacity strengthening, application and institutionalization.
To ensure that concerns related to a specific issue or theme is considered, LGSPA integrates and mainstreams into the outcome areas four cross cutting themes: poverty reduction, gender equality, cultural integrity, and environmental sustainability.
Mainstreaming is an integral part of governance processes--planning, budgeting, program implementation and evaluation. It contributes to more responsive governance and better service provision because it takes into account special issues that cut across various government departments and have an impact on all sectors. The end goal of mainstreaming is to ensure that initiatives to address cross-cutting issues have been woven into the fabric of society in a way that contributes to sustainable development.
Among other program management strategies, LGSPA will undertake performance management and communication initiatives to support the achievement of program results. Program performance information is not only critical for reporting to program stakeholders, but also for understanding the factors that influence performance and for using these lessons learned to further achieve target outputs and outcomes effectively and efficiently. A key management function of LGSPA is communications, which plays an important role in promoting transparency, accountability and participation in local governance, and especially in building understanding that leads to peace and sustainable development in ARMM.
